In various vehicles, especially in trucks, tractors and commercial vehicles, there is often a need to mount batteries and/or other components within the vehicle.
An illustrative conventional vehicle within which batteries and/or the like are mounted is shown in FIG. 1. As shown, the vehicle 100 includes a forward cab section 200 for accommodating a vehicle operator and a chassis frame 300 having generally parallel frame members 310A and 310B extending substantially the entire length of the vehicle and having a plurality of cross-members (not shown) connecting between the frame members 310A and 310B.
As shown in FIG. 1, one or more deck plate 330, such as, e.g., deck plates 330A and/or 330B in the illustrated example, are commonly supported upon the frame members 310A and 310B. Among other things, the deck plate(s) can provide a) a surface upon which an individual can walk, b) a surface upon which physical items can be supported, and c) a protective surface for vehicle components there-under, such as, e.g., the drive shaft of the vehicle extending to the rear wheels W.
With trucks, trailers and/commercial vehicles, space within the vehicle frame is typically at a premium because the space typically must support assorted components, such as, by way of example, air tanks, service lines, fuel tanks, fuel and electrical lines, hydraulic lines and systems, drive trains and accessories, and/or the like.
In addition, such vehicles often carry multiple batteries, such as, e.g., three or four heavy duty batteries, for such purposes as providing adequate cranking power to start a large diesel engine, providing adequate power for lighting and accessories, and/or the like. Accordingly, a typical vehicle has also been equipped with a sturdy battery box for securely mounting and housing such batteries on the vehicle. This type of battery box occupies substantial space that significantly contributes to the problem of optimally locating the various necessary and desired components upon the vehicle.
Ideally, all components are mounted accessibly and at the same time positioned to leave adequate room for a comfortable operating compartment and an engine compartment of sufficient space to afford access to the engine and to other vehicle components, such as power steering and air conditioning units which are typically located in engine compartments. Further, all of the vehicle components should be sufficiently nested within or otherwise supported by the frame to allow adequate road clearance and to minimize interference with air currents generated by a moving vehicle. They should also be positioned to keep vehicle wind drag to a minimum for economy which is important for profitable vehicle operation.
An illustrative battery box structure in the background art is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,167, of Volvo GM Heavy Truck Corporation (the '167 patent). The '167 patent shows: “[a]n over-the-highway truck or tractor vehicle having an elongate rail forming a portion of a vehicle frame and an improved battery box in the form of a unitary molded container defining multiple sides of a battery retention space.” See Abstract. The '167 patent describes, among other things, “[s]tructure including a lower step fixedly connected to the rail [that] supports the container.” Id.
While a number of systems and methods exist in the art, there is a continued need in the art for improved methods for mounting batteries and/or the like in trucks, tractors and/or other commercial vehicles. As set forth below, the preferred embodiments of the present invention provide notable advancements over the above references and other existing systems and devices.